Dia de los Muertos and prayer flag project comes to Silver City

SILVER CITY — Loved ones who have passed have a place to be remembered again this year.

Jeff Hawley, who opened his Yankie Street store, Raven's Nest, on Oct. 15 of last year, has created an elaborate Dia de Los Muertos altar in front of his store.

Last year, local artist Ginny Wolf had her gallery on Yankie Street and created an altar in front her gallery for the public to remember their loved ones and put little pieces of paper out for folks to write a prayer on.

"I've always wanted to see Day of the Dead become something bigger in Silver City," Wolf said.

"Last year, we got a huge response," Wolf said.

She took all those little pieces of paper and strung them across the top of the altar to create a prayer flag.

Although she has since closed her gallery, this year Wolf wanted to see the idea grow. A friend of Wolf's, hospice worker Torie Goodkind, told her how she had created a prayer flags for someone who was very ill and that got Wolf thinking. Another hospice worker, Christine McIntosh, told her she found that a lot of people who couldn't really grieve made several prayer flags and that was their way of dealing with the death of the people they lost in lives. Wolf contacted Gila Regional Hospice to see if they would be interested in sponsoring the event and they agreed.

The Grant County Prayer Flag Project is a collaboration between local artists and area citizens who participated by designing and making a Tibetan prayer flag in memory of loved ones or for the benefit of all those grieving.

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"We had every age from teens on up," Hawley said, "I think it really helped people grieve in a way maybe they wouldn't have without the prayer flags."

It is an idea that crosses cultures by incorporating the traditional Tibetan prayer flag with the remembrance celebrations of Dia de Los Muertos and All Souls Day.

The original plan was to string the flags across the street, connecting the two sides. Liability issues prevented that course, but another possibility soon presented itself.

"The owner of the building and the studios were gracious enough let us use their building to exhibit," Hawley said, "And the fire department were really cooperative and helped hang them."

Gila Regional Medical Center Chaplain Tyler Connoley will lead a dedication ceremony at noon on Saturday.

The event is a potluck event and barbecue will be available for purchase.

¥AmBank First Fridays: "Dia de Los Muertos," 6 to 9 p.m. The street dance (with fire barrels!) will be on Yankie Street, first block west of Bullard Street, with the Illusion Band. All children in costume will receive a prize and an adult costume contest will be held. Public altars.

¥ Remembrance Open Mic, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Javalina's Coffee House. Bring poetry and songs that honors and celebrate those who have taken that next step of the journey. Each person will have up to five minutes to read one poem or two short ones. Sign up for the open mic at the event, or in advance by contacting Sam Castello at silversam@gmail.com